


Midnight Talks

by Sumi



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-11
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-10-02 11:43:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10217279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/pseuds/Sumi
Summary: Aloy and Erend bond over their sleepless night.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The intention is for this to be Aloy/Erend but it's most implied. Hopefully my next one will be more obvious.

Aloy’s eyes fluttered open, hand reaching out to grab at her bow. It lay propped up against the side of the bed like she always had it.

She could, theoretically, sleep and not worry about someone gutting her while asleep. The threat of HADES was eradicated and reconstruction of their homes was well on their way. The cultists were gone from this world. Metal beasts still roamed and would always be a danger but they could not be corrupted. That was at least one blessing. 

If only her dreams could get the message.

The dream that night started with Elisabet gazing proudly down at Aloy. Her lips were moving but nothing came out. Still, Aloy felt moved by Elisabet's silent words. Happiness swelled inside her chest and Aloy listened intently. 

She admired Elisabet so much. The mother figure she mourned but never got to meet. Just the thought of Elisabet addressing her -even in a dream- meant so much to Aloy.

Aloy knew something was wrong when a dark expression overtook Elisabet's features. She tried to ask her what was wrong. Elisabet dodged the question and said the first thing Aloy could understand “Run!”.

The moment those red tendrils reached Elisabet's throat Aloy woke up. It was good a time as any to snap out of the dream.

Reality might be safe but Aloy’s dreams were not.

Aloy reluctantly let go of the bow. She ran her fingers through tangled hair, free of its braids, pins, and other assorted things keeping it in place throughout her travels.

If Aloy wanted sleep it certainly wouldn't be now. Her thoughts were racing, jumping from Elisabet and back to HADES. Aloy knew it wasn't possible but if HADES remained? If it wasn't destroyed, then all those lives died for nothing.

After admitting that sleep wouldn't come anytime soon, Aloy swung her legs over the side of the bed. Even after a couple months of living here in Olin’s place in Meridian, Aloy still had trouble calling it home some days. 

The only home Aloy had ever had was with the Nora, and even then it wasn’t truly real. She grew up among them but her true home, the place where Aloy felt comfortable and happy, had been with Rost.

When everything with HADES was all said and done, Aloy felt lost. The Nora were ready to welcome her back but with Rost gone and everything she now knew, it didn't feel right. Erend had suggested staying in Meridian; temporarily at least.

Aloy had a few friends in Meridian so it seemed like a good idea for the time being. Erend offered Olin's old place, telling Aloy Olin had made a home with his family again and had no plans of coming back.

The place looked more and more like a place Aloy could call home. Almost. Without Rost, there would always be something missing.

She padded quietly towards the ladder, thoughts drifting back and forth from Elisabet, and HADES, and now to Rost. Aloy just turned to climb down to the ground floor when she heard the creak of a floorboard.

A spear rested against the wall to the right of the ladder. Aloy's fingers just brushed the base of it when a familiar voice rang out.

“Hells Aloy it's me, Erend!” He shouted, voice sounding rushed and panicked. Most likely because he didn’t want a spear to the gut. “We went over some vanguard paperwork, remember?”

Aloy's grip on the spear relaxed. “You stayed the night; my suggestion.”

He let out a huff of laughter. “And finally she's forgotten me. I knew it would happen eventually with her being this big hero and all.”

“Erend it's impossible to forget you. Look at that beard! It's very memorable,” Aloy teased while climbing down the latter.

Another chuckle escaped Erend. “From you Aloy, I'll consider that a compliment.”

Since her move to Meridian, Aloy had taken the Sun King up on his offer to join the Vanguard. It was a path Aloy would have never imagined herself taking but that could be said for the past year of her life as well.

Aloy's feet hit the floor and took her straight to one of the cushions Erend was using for a bed. She sunk into one of them, eyes flickering over to the stack of half finished papers. 

“Never thought paperwork would be part of being captain of the Vanguard,” Erend muttered, sitting two cushions away from Aloy.

Aloy shot him a smirk. “Ersa never warned you about that?”

“Never said a word about it to me,” Erend remarked, a fondness in his tone that only appeared when he talked about Ersa.

She let out a tired laugh, resting her head against the wall. “Why are you up?”

“Heard you shuffling around upstairs. I'm not as heavy of a sleeper as you think, Aloy.” 

Of all the other times Erend spent the night, he'd only woken up once to the sound of her quietly shuffling around the house. He normally was a heavier sleeper.

“You usually don't wake up so easily.” Aloy quickly refuted his point but wouldn't ask why Erend had trouble sleeping that night. The same courtesy he gave to her would be extended to him.

Erend laughed. “And she remembers something else!”

“Remember what I said Erend; you're not easily forgotten.”

“Coming from you that means a lot, Aloy.”

Aloy smiled, and turned her eyes forward, thoughts drifting back to her dreams. Soon she was aware of the shuffling of papers, distantly as if her thoughts had lead her away from the room. But she was still there, really. And so was Erend.

At least they could keep each other company.


End file.
